Etcetera

Myriad Reality

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How persuasive. You'll get far with that.

@Unhinged

Sometimes it's all you need.

Myriad Reality

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You got here a lot quicker than I expected. You found a ride, I guess?

@Unhinged

Pretty easily at that. We asked the government nicely.

Myriad Reality

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You two having fun?

@Unhinged

Oh, there you are. Hi, Red.

Myriad Reality

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From a reward as substantial as that? For so many people, yes. For sure.

@Armed Forces

But either way, it's the principle of the matter rather than the wording itself.

Myriad Reality

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Possibly. Anxiety is a feeling that grows stronger as the anticipated event approaches.

@Armed Forces

Do you really think it would stir all that much emotion?

Myriad Reality

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You can fool yourself because of the shock value of the substantial reward, but then, as the euphoria dies down, and logic is allowed room, a mind can definitely, unintentionally change.

@Armed Forces

It relies on not thinking of the consequences. Considering it's a long way to midnight, I don't think you can beat the pink elephant paradox for that long.

Myriad Reality

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No, there is the possibility to actually intend to drink it, without intending to change beforehand, but as the time approaches to carry it out, the consequences dawn on you more and more, as you think about it more and more, and can eventually lead to an unintended change. But an intended change in intention is in the wording. If you intended to change your mind, how can you claim to ever have truly intended to do the first thing, without lying?

@Armed Forces

Er, exactly? You would probably know yourself well enough to know whether or not you would drink it ahead of time.

Myriad Reality

Myriad Reality

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It doesn't seem as complicated to me. That answer depends on the circumstances of the decision to change intentions, mainly involving a lack of a preemptive intention to do so. An intention to change intentions is no intention at all. It is just an indicator of hat the true intentions always were.

@Armed Forces

But that's the thing: How could you change intentions like that? You know the rules of the game beforehand. Either you intend to change intentions or you have to drink it.

Myriad Reality

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If you intend to change your intention, your intention was never really what it started as anyways.

@Armed Forces

Hence the puzzle. A contest was being held with the following rules: You have a small bottle of poison that won't kill you; it will just make you violently ill for the next day. You're offered a substantial sum of money if, at midnight that night, you can intend to drink the poison by noon the next day. You do not have to drink the poison to win the game—you receive the money at 12:05 at night and are fully free to choose to not drink the poison once you receive the money. Is it possible to win the game but not drink the poison?